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"We have agreed that MacMaine has done nothing that could even remotely be regarded as suspicious! He has fought hard and loyally; he has been more ruthless than any of us in destroying the enemy. Very well, we will guard him more closely. We can put him in irons if that's necessary. "But let's quit yapping and start thinking!
"Do you really believe that, Tallis, or is it just wishful thinking on your part, knowing as you do that your punishment will be the same as mine if I fail?" MacMaine asked flatly. Tallis didn't hesitate. "If I didn't believe it, I would ask to be relieved as your Guardian. And the moment I did that, you would be removed from command.
The Kerothi looked startled. When he spoke again, it was in English. "I will say no morr. If you haff questionss to ask, ko ahet. I will not take up time with furtherr talkink." A little angry with himself and with the general, MacMaine spent the rest of the hour asking routine questions and getting nowhere, filling up the tape in his minicorder with the same old answers that others had gotten.
"Of course, it's possible that the whole thing is a put-up job a smoke screen for our benefit. That's why we must and will keep a closer watch. But only a few of the Earth's higher-up would know that it was a smoke screen; the rest believe it, whether it is true or not. MacMaine would have to be very careful not to let the wrong people get their hands on him if he returned."
It would be indelicate to speak until Tallis felt that he was ready for the surprise. It was not, however, indelicate to watch Tallis' face closely; it was expected. Theoretically, one was supposed to be able to discern, at least, whether the news was good or bad. With Tallis, it was impossible to tell, and MacMaine knew it would be useless to read the man's expression.
"I love my people," Tallis said grimly. MacMaine was startled for a moment. He'd never thought about it that way. "You're right, Tallis," he said at last. "You're right. We do know. And because I loved the human race, in spite of its stagnation and its spirit of total mediocrity, I did what I had to do."
"I can't help but feel that this is some sort of trick, but if it is, I can't see through it. Why are you doing this, Sepastian?" "You may not understand this, Tallis," MacMaine said evenly, "but I am fighting for freedom. The freedom to think." The Traitor Convincing the Kerothi that he was in earnest was more difficult than MacMaine had at first supposed.
At some point in the last few centuries, human civilization had taken the wrong path a path that led only to oblivion. It was at that moment that Colonel Sebastian MacMaine made his decision. The Escape "Are you sure you understand, Tallis?" MacMaine asked in Kerothic. The alien general nodded emphatically. "Perfectly. Your Kerothic is not so bad that I could misunderstand your instructions.
"Well," MacMaine said with a slight grin, "at least you've been able to capture enough Earth food to keep me eating well all this time." Tallis' grin was broad. "You're right. We're not doing too badly at that. Now, let's go; the High Commander is waiting."
After Tallis was well inside the air lock, MacMaine whispered to the young captain, "As you can see, the general has got a rather bad cold. He'll want to remain in his cabin until he's over it. See that anti-coryza shots are sent up from the dispensary as soon as we are out of the Solar System. Now, let's go; we have less than a minute till take-off."
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